•SANTINO•When I arrived in New York, I went to the Manhattan Hospital and found Naya about to be discharged.The doctor explained that she had minor scratches and nothing serious.Roy and the driver were the only ones who got hurt, and according to the doctors, Roy had internal bleeding and broken ribs, but they handled the internal bleeding before it affected his major organs.The driver was in a medically induced coma after brain surgery. The doctors said the airbag bumped his head and almost rendered him brain-damaged.“Did you find her?” She asked after I had signed her release forms and paid her hospital bill.“No, Naya, but since you were there with her when you got into a car accident, you’ll help me look for her. I know the person who took her, but I won’t know where they took her if I don’t know the place of the accident.”She furrowed her brow and stood up from her bed. “But you could’ve found the place without me, sir. I don’t need to be there with you.”“You’re coming wit
•FRANCESCA•“I hope no one saw you when you took her, Enzo.”“It was a terrible accident, so no one saw me.” He placed her on the bed and covered her with a fleece blanket.“Good. You know I hate loose ends. The only person I want is her. She’s the one who brought us here.” I sighed as I sat on the single bed facing hers.“Her ex-husbands could be looking for her. She was with her new assistant and bodyguard when we took her, so they would know you’re the one who took her.”“Ugh, little brother,” I rolled my eyes and groaned as I stood up from the bed. “If you want people to pay for backstabbing you, you must stop doubting yourself.”“Santino’s dangerous, and you told me that yourself. He won’t rest until he finds her, and he will make us pay for bringing his pregnant woman here.” He looked at her as if feeling sorry for her.“Stop feeling sorry for her. She failed us when she couldn’t avenge us against the woman who ruined our family. No one will find her alive.” I leaned over and lo
•LUCIUS•“We didn’t know she saved you, brother. Please don’t be angry with our mother. She apologized to her,” Brandon commented when we got home and headed to the living room.I didn’t know why my mother thought she could manipulate me by getting him to apologize on her behalf. She made things worse with Camilla again.She didn’t know how to hold herself and avoid saying everything that came into her mind. She knew how much Camilla meant to me and how hard I was working to get her back with me.“Tell your mother she messed up, and I don’t want to say anything to her, Brandon. Since you’re her spokesperson, I want you both to leave me alone so I can rest.” I sat on the couch and wrote Camilla a text.“I didn’t know what to think when I saw her with you, Lucius. You know she didn’t want us to see Nico, so what did you want me to think when I saw her at the station? She might have framed you so that you wouldn’t be in her life,” my mother explained as she sat beside me.“You were suppo
•SANTINO•“When is Mommy coming home, Daddy? Is she going to be away for a few days again?” Nico asked when I tucked him into bed.I leaned over and kissed his forehead, trying to avoid talking about his mother. It was clear Camilla didn’t want to see herself anywhere else but with Lucius.She didn’t hesitate to fly to New York to save him from serving a sentence in jail for something she believed he didn’t commit.“She’ll be home soon, bud. Get some rest, and when you wake up in the morning, we will have pancakes and visit the zoo. It’s been a long time since we had a boys’ day out.”“Alright,” he smiled as he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. I shook my head and chuckled as I left his room and closed the door.When I got into my bedroom, I sat on the couch and looked at the texts from Cole, asking me when we would visit the mayor.I didn’t know how to tell him I didn’t want to go ahead with our plans anymore. I didn’t want to lose my family.Camilla was very close to the truth
•CAMILLA•“You’re Camilla Ross?” The detective asked when he took me to his office. He seemed very stunned to see me.He probably expected someone else. Casey. I didn’t think he saw the articles when I revealed my identity and publicized Cecilia’s betrayal.“Yes, I’m Camilla Ross, and I want to see Lucius Hall. I know the person who murdered Sasha Ross,” I answered as I sat on the chair in front of his desk.“Wow,” the detective said with wonder as he glanced at Naya, my bodyguard, and me. “Wow.” He cleared his throat and sat in his chair. “I am Michael Smith.” He held out his hand for a handshake.“Nice to meet you, Michael.” I shook his hand and leaned back in the chair. “Do I need a lawyer before we discuss Lucius’s case? He didn’t kill Sasha, and I have proof of that.”“Lucius Hall was your husband five years ago. Am I correct?” He asked, and I scoffed and furrowed my brow.“Yes, but I don’t see the relevance of that in this. I am here to prove that Lucius Hall didn’t murder Sasha
•CECILIA•“Casey drugged me! She made me like this! Please, she drugged me!”“You need to calm down, Mrs. Ross, if you don’t want us to put you to sleep.” The nurse who helped me clean up answered as she pushed my wheelchair to the reception area.“We’ve informed the board of her transfer, and will sign further paperwork when her stepchildren get here,” the receptionist informed the nurse.“We were expecting Camilla Ross, and she’s still not here.”“Camilla’s assistant called and informed me that Sakai Ross will come to see the baby. I think he would like to see his stepmother before she’s transferred to the mental institution.”“I’m not crazy!” I snapped when I heard that word. “Let me go! I’m not crazy!”“Please take her to the boardroom. Sakai Ross will be here soon, and we don’t want to cause chaos for our visitors,” the receptionist instructed the nurse.“Is Sakai taking my daughter?” I asked the nurse when we arrived in the boardroom. She just looked at me and sighed.“Maybe. If